Spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs when trauma or other factors damage the spinal cord, disrupting the flow of sensory information from the body to the brain. This interruption can interfere with embodiment-the body awareness and physical sensations processed by the brain-sometimes leading to a phenomenon called disembodiment.
For people with SCI, disembodiment may appear as unusual body sensations, like feeling that a limb is in a different position than it actually is. Such changes in body awareness can impact daily life, mental health, and rehabilitation outcomes.
Despite its importance, the study of embodiment in SCI remains limited. This project aims to explore how SCI alters embodiment, focusing on its specific characteristics, the effects on daily life, and the underlying brain activity as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Both people with and without SCI will participate.
Procedure: Participants will complete a single examination lasting 2 to 2.5 hours, including approximately 55 minutes in the MRI scanner (with preparation and follow-up).
Age between 18 and 60
Normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity
German or Italian native speaker
Diagnosis of traumatic spinal cord injury
Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Diagnosis of other psychiatric or neurological disorders (e.g. epilepsy, tumor in the central nervous system)
Confirmed diagnosis of alcohol and/or drug abuse with active consumption within the last 6 months
Confirmed diagnosis of traumatic brain injury, intended as visible changes in the brain diagnosed by a radiologist